The Bible, comprising 66 books written between sometime greater than 2100 BC and 100 AD, was not written as a scientific text or collection of scientific books. Some of its books deal with history, some with prophecy, some with songs and poetry and some moral teachings. But in any book, where it touches on a particular subject, it will be scientifically accurate, even if it is not described in any depth. There are a range of evidences in the text themselves that foreshadow knowledge given to mankind by the Holy Spirit through the Scriptures. Below is a table of Bible verses that describe different fields of scientific knowledge. This table is by no means complete, but lists evidence from different sciences, hydrology, geology, astronomy, biology, physics and anthropology and more.
Hydrology
Water cycle Ecclesiastes 1:7 970 – 950 BC Rivers return the rain to the sea, the recirculation of water on the earth.
Water cycle Isaiah 55:10 740 – 680 BC Rain and snow comes down from the heavens and causes seeds to grow.
Water cycle, rain and lightning Psalms 135:7 ~ 980 BC Evaporation, rain, lightning and winds. The rain comes from the clouds, waters suspended in the heavens. The winds circulate the air masses containing the rain. Jet stream anticipated.
Water cycle, rain and lightning Jeremiah 10:13 627 – 586 BC Almost identical verse to Psalms 135:7. Additionally a reference to the massive amount of water held in clouds. A typical cumulus cloud (1 km3 in volume) weighs about 500,000 kg.
Oceanic origin of rain Ecclesiastes 1:7 970 – 950 BC All the rivers run into the sea, yet the sea is never full.
Precipitation Job 36:27-29 > 2100 BC The drops of water which eventually pour down as rain first become vapor and then condense to tiny liquid water droplets in the clouds. These finally coalesce into drops large enough to overcome the updrafts that suspend them in the air.
Condensation nuclei Proverbs 8:26 900 BC A reference to dust suspended in the upper atmosphere, which can act as condensation nuclei for rain.
Condensation Job 26:8; 37:11,16 > 2100 BC A reference to the massive amount of water that can be held as condensation in clouds. A massive weight of water is suspended this way by rising air current. A typical cumulus cloud (1 km3 in volume) weighs about 500,000 kg.
Run-off Job 28:10 > 2100 BC Describes run-off from the mountains cutting through rocks.
Oceanic reservoir and Antarctic fresh water storage Psalms 33:7 ~ 980 BC Not only is a massive amount of water stored in the oceans, also a considerable amount is stored in the ice covering the Antarctic continent (about 90% of all ice on the planet) contains 61% of all fresh water on Earth.
Snow Psalms 147:16 ~ 980 BC Describes the formation of snow as part of the natural water cycle.
Hydrothermal vents Genesis 7:11 > 1400 BC Describes submarine thermal vents of hot water.
Hydrothermal vents Job 38:16 > 2100 BC Describes submarine thermal vents of hot water.
Ocean currents Psalms 8:8 ~ 980 BC Bible describes the “paths of the seas.” In the 19th century Matthew Maury–the father of oceanography -after reading Psalm 8, researched and discovered ocean currents that follow specific paths through the seas! Utilizing Maury’s data, marine navigators have since reduced by many days the time required to traverse the oceans.
Circulation of atmosphere Ecclesiastes 1:6 970 – 950 BC Movement of air masses on the earth’s surface. The circulation is accurately described, circulating between the north towards the south (the equator) and back again in the northern hemisphere. In the southern hemisphere it is reversed. Jet stream anticipated.
Geology
Principle of isostasy Isaiah 40:12 740 – 680 BC Crustal plates of Earth float on the mantle rock beneath. The mountains mean the crust places great weight on the mantle of the Earth. This is balanced by the weight of the oceans on the ocean floor that rides above the mantle.
Principle of isostasy Psalms 104:5-9 ~ 980 BC There are some who argue that these verses speak of the hydrostatic equilibrium reached after the global flood, when the waters ran off the rising land masses.
Spherical shape of the earth Isaiah 40:22 740 – 680 BC The word translated “circle” here is the Hebrew word chuwg, which is also translated “circuit,” or “compass” meaning the great circles of the earth—lines of longitude. It indicates something spherical, rounded, or arched—not something that is flat or square.
Spherical shape of the earth Proverbs 8:27 ~ 900 BC The Hebrew word chuwg is used and translated “compass” meaning the great circles of the earth—the lines of longitude. Hence a sphere, not a disk or any flat shape.
Spherical shape of the earth Psalms 103:12 ~ 980 BC East is removed from the West by the same distance no matter where you are on a sphere. That would only be true on a square if you were standing in the centre.
Rock erosion Job 14:18,19 > 2100 BC Water borne erosion of mountains and rocks.
Glacial period Job 38:29,30 > 2100 BC Frozen water stored in global ice cap and in glaciers.
Habitat Earth Isaiah 40:22 740 – 680 BC God has provided Earth as a protected habitat for humans to dwell in.
Noah’s flood 2 Peter 3:5,6 67 AD The fact that God once flooded the earth in the great Flood is denied. The flood resulted from the state the Earth was created in – being made of water and in water. There is a mass of fossil evidence in support of the fact of Noah’s flood, though it is ignored by most of the scientific community because it was God’s judgment on man’s wickedness. Strangely though they accept a global flood on Mars.
Uniformitarianism 2 Peter 3:4 67 AD The notion of slow and gradual changes in sedimentation processes being used to justify materialist thinking.
Astronomy
Origin of the universe Genesis 1:1 > 1400 BC In the beginning God created the universe (“heavens and the earth” this expression is a Hebrew merism, meaning the ‘whole universe’). The creation was from nothing prior, a creation ex nihilo, by the action of the self-existent Creator (YHWH) who always existed, the uncaused First Cause.
Size of universe Isaiah 55:9 740 – 680 BC The vastness of the universe is a reflection of the greatness of God.
Size of universe Job 22:12 > 2100 BC The stars are extremely distant. Thus the false cosmology of some ancients—a solid dome firmament—cannot be justified from Scripture.
Size of universe Jeremiah 31:37 627 – 586 BC The size of the universe cannot be fully known. We have the problem of cosmic variance—we can’t see every galaxy and we don’t know what the universe should look like, hence we don’t know what should be out there.
Number of stars Jeremiah 33:22 627 – 586 BC Only 300 stars seen with naked eye, but it is estimated to be 1022 in the universe to the distances that telescopes can now see. The Scripture says “cannot be numbered” meaning so very large you cannot count them like grains of sand.
Number of stars Genesis 22:17 > 1400 BC The number of grains of sand on the earth’s seashores is estimated to be 1025.
Number of stars Psalms 147:4 ~ 980 BC The number of stars may be very large but the number is finite. Thus the universe is not infinite in size. Also God calls them all by their names (see also Isaiah 40:26).
Variety of stars 1 Corinthians 15:41 53 – 57 AD Analysis of their light spectra reveals that each is unique and different from all others, even though they are generally grouped into different classes.
Variety of stars Job 38:31 > 2100 BC Describes both open and closed star systems. Pleiades (closed tight group) and Orion (open group) are described.
Constellations of stars Job 38:32 > 2100 BC Mazzaroth means the 12 constellations seen above the equator, referred to Zodiac constellations. The sun is seen to pass through these as the earth orbits the sun.
The Earth in space Job 26:7 > 2100 BC Planet Earth hangs upon nothing in space. There are no elephants on a giant turtle (Hindu belief), nor the giant Greek god Atlas holding the planet on his shoulders.
Precision of orbits Jeremiah 31: 35,36 627 – 586 BC Describes the precision and stationarity of the orbits of the earth and the moon in the solar system.
Measurement of days, months, and years Genesis 1:14-16 > 1400 BC God created “lights” in the heavens “for signs and seasons, and for days and years”. A year is the time required for the earth to travel once around the sun. The seasons are caused by the changing position of the earth in relation to the sun due to the earth’s titled axis. The moon’s phases follow one another in clock-like precision – constituting the lunar calendar – used for planting crops.
Biology
Life begins at fertilization Jeremiah 1:5 627 – 586 BC God declares that He knew us before we were born. The biblical penalty for murdering an unborn child was death (Exodus 21:22-23). Today, it is an irrefutable biological fact that the fertilized egg is truly an entire human being. Nothing is added to the first fertilized cell except nutrition and oxygen.
Blood circulation Leviticus 17:11 > 1400 BC Up until 120 years ago, sick people were “bled” and many died as a result (e.g. George Washington). The blood carries water and nourishment to every cell, maintains the body’s temperature, and removes the waste material of the body’s cells. The blood also carries oxygen from the lungs throughout the body. In 1616, William Harvey discovered that blood circulation is the key factor in physical life.
Psychotherapy Proverbs 12:14; 14:30; 15:30; 16:24; 17:22 ~ 900 BC Emotional factors have direct bearing on physical health. It is a proven fact that a person’s mental and spiritual health is strongly correlated with physical health.
Biogenesis and stability Genesis 1:11,21,25 > 1400 BC Describes biogenesis (the development of living organisms from other living organisms) and the stability of each kind of living organism. In each kind of animal God created the seed of the next generation. Which came first? The chicken or the egg? The chicken.
Living things created in distinct biological defined kinds foreshadowing modern genetics Genesis 1:11,24 > 1400 BC The phrase “according to its kind” occurs repeatedly, stressing the reproductive integrity of each kind of animal and plant. Dogs produce dogs, cats produce cats, tulips produce tulips. Never have we witnessed one kind changing into another kind as evolution supposes. There are truly natural limits to biological change. Today we know this occurs because all of these reproductive systems are programmed by their genetic codes.
Uniqueness of man Genesis 1:26 > 1400 BC Humans did not evolve from some past ape-like ancestor. Created unique and given dominion over the planet
Origin of all humans Acts 17:26 64 AD God has created all mankind from one blood (Genesis 5). Today it is known that all humans are descended from one gene pool. For example, a 1995 study of a section of Y chromosomes from 38 men from different ethnic groups around the world was consistent with the biblical teaching that we all come from one man (Adam)
Earth designed for life, Anthropic Principle Isaiah 45:18 740 – 680 BC Modern science has discovered that the most fundamental characteristics of the earth and the cosmos which contains it are so finely tuned that if just one parameter was slightly different, life as we know it couldn’t exist. This is called the Anthropic Principle and it agrees with the Bible which states that God formed the earth to be inhabited.
Chemical nature of flesh Genesis 2:7; 3:19 > 1400 BC Human bodies essentially comprise the same chemistry as the very wet earth, containing water, calcium, iron, carbon, oxygen and more.
Fragility of the flesh 1 Peter 1:24,25 64 AD Human bodies like grass are subject to the same laws of death and decay.
Physics
Creation of matter from nothing Hebrew 11:3 80 AD The Creator created the universe from nothing by the utterance of His word.
Creation of matter from nothing Colossians 1:17 60 – 62 AD The Creator existed before all things. He is the First Cause Who created the universe
Source of energy and light upon Earth Genesis 1:14,17 > 1400 BC To regulate the day/night cycle, to regulate the monthly and yearly cycles.
Source of energy and light upon Earth Psalms 19:6 ~ 980 BC The Sun gives warmth to Earth and the earth’s orbit is stable (noted as the circuit of the Sun from Earth frame of reference).
Rotating spherical earth Luke 17:34-36 45 AD Jesus said that at His return some would be asleep at night while others would be working at day time activities in the field. This is a clear indication of a rotating spherical planet, with day and night occurring simultaneously.
Rotation of the earth Job 38:12,14 > 2100 BC Sunrise results from the turning of the earth on its axis.
Law of decay Hebrews 1:10,11; 8:13 80 AD The Second Law of Thermodynamics (Entropy) describes the decay in all physical systems. The 2nd law states that everything in the universe is running down, deteriorating, constantly becoming less and less orderly.
Law of decay Isaiah 40:8 740 – 680 BC As a result of the 2nd Law death brings on decay yet by contrast the Word of God endures forever (1 Peter 1:25)
Law of decay Psalms 102:25,26 ~ 980 BC The Second Law of Thermodynamics explained. Historically most people believed the universe was unchangeable. Yet modern science verifies that the universe is growing old like a garment (Hebrews 1:11). Evolution directly contradicts this law.
Transparency of the sky Job 37:18 > 2100 BC Describes the idea that the sky is like a mirror, but also something that was cast and spread out by beating or like pouring a molten mirror. This does necessarily to refer to space itself, but only to the sky as viewed from the earth surface. The mirror refers to the transparency of the ‘glass’–meaning the atmosphere is clear to see through, hence we may view the stars.
Air pressure Job 28:25 > 2100 BC A reference to the effect of the column of air above any point of the earth having weight and thus producing air pressure.
Anthropology
Cave dwellers Job 30:5,6 > 2100 BC Note that these were not ape-men, but descendants of those who scattered from Babel. They were driven from the community by those tribes who competed successfully for the more desirable regions of the earth. Then for some reason they deteriorated mentally, physically, and spiritually.
No primitive man Genesis 4:20-22 > 1400 BC Archeologists have discovered that the first peoples mined minerals, had metallurgical factories, created air-conditioned buildings, designed musical instruments, studied the stars, buried their dead with rituals etc. This evidence directly contradicts the theory of evolution, but agrees completely with God’s Word.
Origin of language groups Genesis 11 > 1400 BC After the rebellion at Babel, God scattered the people by confounding the one language into many languages. Evolution teaches that we all evolved from a common ancestral group, yet offers no mechanism to explain the origin of the thousands of diverse languages in existence today.
Origin of different races Genesis 11 > 1400 BC As Noah’s descendants migrated around the world after Babel, each language group developed distinct features based on environment and genetic variation. Those with the genetic makeup most suitable to their new environment survived to reproduce. Over time, certain traits (such as dark skin colour for those closer to the equator) dominated. Of those who migrated to higher altitudes the ones with lighter skin tones were more suited to survive (UV lower and they were more adapted against rickets etc).
Paleontology
Dinosaurs Job 40:15-24 > 2100 BC In 1842, Sir Richard Owen coined the word dinosaur, meaning “terrible lizard,” after discovering large reptilian-like fossils. Here, God describes the behemoth as the largest of all land creatures, plant eating (herbivore), with great strength in its hips and legs, powerful stomach muscles, a tail like a cedar tree, and bones like bars of iron. This is an accurate description of the large sauropods — the largest known dinosaur family.
Health science
Washing away germs with clean flowing water Leviticus 15:13 > 1400 BC When dealing with disease, clothes and body should be washed under running water not with stagnant water as was practiced by ancients.
Location of toilets Deuteronomy 23:12,13 > 1400 BC God commanded His people to have a place outside the camp where they could relieve themselves. They were to each carry a shovel so that they could dig a hole (latrine) and cover their waste. Up until World War I, more soldiers died from disease than war because they did not isolate human waste.
Bible Science Forum 